Precious Nonsense NEWSLETTER of the MIDWESTERN GILBERT and SULLIVAN SOCIETY April 1997 -- Issue 52

Precious Nonsense NEWSLETTER OF THE MIDWESTERN GILBERT AND SULLIVAN SOCIETY April 1997 -- Issue 52

Tentative Pinafore Outing Member Hugh Locker has offered to organize a Midwestern Gilbert and Sullivan Society Outing to one of the matinee performances of Light Opera Works' June 8, 1997, performance of H.M.S. Pinafore, depending on if enough people want to go. If you are interested in going, call him right away: (815) 385-3676 The final price for the outing has yet to be determined, but figure on the show tickets costing between $40.00 and $50.00, plus dinner afterwards. As these affairs generally work, participants make their own arrangements to get to Cahn Auditorium. Hopefully, enough people would be interested to get a group rate on the tickets. We need at least 20 people to get a group rate (tell your friends!). Afterwards, everybody goes to some local restaurant for dinner. Everybody pays their own checks, which saves a lot of calculations and bad feelings later. These arrangements have worked out pretty well in the past, though. This outing may come off, or it may not: Please call Hugh Locker at (815) 385-3676 by May 10, 1997 so plans can be made or cancelled.

Fair moon, to thee I sing, Bright regent of the heavens, Say, why is everything Either at sixes or at sevens?

Here we are again, and I'm sorry about the delay. Things here have really been at sixes and sevens for the last several months. But with the cheerful sunshine of (and the flowers that bloom in the) Spring, we'll get there. There are lots of newsletters from other societies that I still have to go through, and other possible articles that need compiling, and we will try to get them put together by the next issue. In the meantime, we have something of a Pinafore issue: not only are we trying to organize an outing to Light Opera Works' Pinafore, but we have a description of an old advertising flyer that used Pinafore characters to promote the product, and a description of George S. Kaufman's musical The Hollywood Pinafore. There are some other non-Pinafore items as well, like an announcement of a new murder mystery connected to a production of Ruddigore, so let's see where we go from here.

Oh, Members, How Say You, what is it you've Sullivan mug, George C. Weber, who won a 1997 Inter- done? national Gilbert and Sullivan Festival calendar; Ron Fava, winner of a MGS calculator and a set of the The winners in 1996's Big Quiz have been identified, Gilbert and Sullivan in America picture postcards from and thanks to Norman Vogt, we have prizes for them!. David Stone; and Phocion Park, who received a copy of The winners were Thomas Drucker, who won an Arthur Jane Stedman's W.S. Gilbert: A Classic Victorian & His Precious Nonsense, April 1997 -- p. 2

Theatre. Congratulations to the Big Quiz participants. Incidentally, if you surf the Net, why not visit Light We'll have another Big Quiz in the next issue of the Non- Opera Works' website at www.light-opera-works.org. sense. Also, see the notice on the front page: we’re hoping to get a group together to see the June 8 performance! Suanne Kuhn was instrumental (although she sings) in helping one of the Buckingham Friends School's clas- The Winnetka Theatre (620 Lincoln Ave., Winnet- ses with their unit on light opera /H.M.S. Pinafore. We ka, IL 60093 / (847) 446-0537) is expecting to stage, haven't heard what they did, and how it all came out, but what they describe as, "an updated version of this classic we'll look forward to it. musical," May 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 16, and 17, 1996. Friday and Saturday performances are at 8:00 pm, Sunday per- formances are at 2:00 pm. Tickets should be about $11.00: to order tickets, call (847) 604-0275. What Cheer! What Cheer! {Midwest- ern} The 1997 Ohio Light Opera performance schedule includes Victor Herbert's Eileen, Strauss's Fledermaus, S/A Cole has heard a rumor that the Savoy-Aires are Patience, Messager's Véronique, Yeomen of the Guard, planning to stage The Gondoliers during 1997. This Lehar's Count of Luxembourg, and Romberg's The New rumor has not been confirmed independently, but if you Moon. Individual tickets for all performances are contact the company, they can probably fill you in. For $26.00. To order tickets, call the box office at (330) more information, contact the company at P.O. Box 126, 263-2329 or (330) 263-2345. Evanston, IL 60204, or call David Craven at (312) 862- Performance dates are: 7781. Eileen: June 10 (mat.), 12, 15 (mat.), 20, 21, 25 Another part of the rumor was that they may be in (mat.), July 8 (mat.), 11, 17, 26, August 2 (mat.), and 5 some financial difficulties: that was the reason for not (mat.) staging Princess Ida as originally planned. Whether or Yeomen of the Guard: June 11 (mat.), 14 (mat.), 24 not this rumor is true, the Savoy-Aires is always grateful (mat.), July 10, 20 (mat.), August 2, and 8. to its donors. If you would care to become one, contact The New Moon: June 13, 14, 19, 28 (mat.), 29 the company for more information (mat.), July 1 (mat.), 3, 6 (mat.), 9 (mat.), 16 (mat.), 23, 30, and August 9 (mat.) We learn from David Michaels that the Park Ridge Fledermaus: June 17 (mat.), 18 (mat.), 21 (mat.), 22 Gilbert and Sullivan Society (P.O. Box 339, Park Ridge (mat.), 27, July 5 (mat.), 12, 24, 30 (mat.), and August 9 IL 60068-0339) will be giving Yeomen of the Guard Count of Luxembourg: June 26, 28, July 2 (mat.) 13 May 2, 3, 4, 9 and 10, 1997, at the St. Mary's Episcopal (mat.), 19 (mat.), 25, 29 (mat.), and August 6. Church (306 S. Prospect, in Park Ridge). Tickets are Véronique: July 5, 12 (mat.), 18, 22 (mat.), 27 $9.00 ($8.00 for senior citizens). For more information, (mat.), 31, and August 6 (mat.). call (773) 774-8603. Director for this production will be Martha Maculas, and Jeff Richards is Music Director. Patience: July 15 (mat.), 19, 12 (mat.), 26 (mat.), Look for David Michaels as Sgt. Meryll. August 1, 3 (mat.), and 7. Evening performances are at 8:00 pm, and matinees are at 2:00 pm. Evidently, every Friday and Saturday eve- Sometime this summer, The Gilbert & Sullivan ning, there will be free pre-performance lectures at 7:00 Opera Company will most likely be presenting The Sor- pm. For more information about the Ohio Light Opera's cerer, an encore of their March production. We'll pass season, you can also write: The Ohio Light Opera, The on details as we learn them. College of Wooster, Wooster, OH 44691.

Light Opera Works 1997 season will feature HMS From Norman Vogt, we have the flyer from the Phil- Pinafore (May 31, June 1 (mat.), 6, 7, and 8 (mat.)), adelphia International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival. One Touch of Venus (by Kurt Weil--August 15, 17 This year's festival starts in Berkeley, California (June (mat.), 22, 23, and 24 (mat.)), and The Merry Widow for 13-22: we don't have any information on this hub), con- New Year's Eve (and also December 27, 23 (mat.), 31, tinues in Philadelphia (July 19-27, or the 18th, if you January 2, 3, and 4 (mat.)). Ticket prices range from count one of the professional productions), and concludes $21.00 to $48.00, depending on where you want to sit. in Buxton, England (August 2-17, which we don't have Ticket prices for audience members 21 years old and any information on, either). If you're interested in attend- younger are apparently available at half-price. For more ing, or knowing more, about at least the Philadelphia hub, information, call Light Opera Works at (847) 869-6300. contact the festival at The Gilbert and Sullivan Festi- Precious Nonsense, April 1997 -- p. 3

val; P.O. Box 59285; Philadelphia, PA 19102-9285, or 10:30 pm: Festival Club -- including cabaret Pa- call or fax it at (215) 629-0672. Running with what tience ($5.00) we've got, it appears there are no "package deals" for the Thursday, July 24: 10:30 am: Film Festival continues festival attractions, so call for a flyer right away: you'll ($7.50) need it to figure out how much the attractions you're 10:30 am: Roberta Morrell workshop ($10.00) interested in will cost. It also lists where the events are 3:00 pm: Gillian Knight leads a masterclass ($15.00) going to be held. Apparently, the main site for the festi- val is the Annenberg Center. Anyhow, the schedule, 7:30 pm: Princess Ida (Derby Gilbert and Sullivan according to this flyer, is: Company, UK) ($40.00-$25.00) Friday, July 18: 7:30 pm: GG: a musical entertainment 10:30 pm: Festival Club -- including cabaret ($5.00) based on the life of George Grossmith, plus the Friday, July 25: 10:30 am: Film Festival continues Savoy Company and Nine Lives Travelling Players -- ($7.50) Cox and Box. Tickets: $40.00 to $25.00. 3:00 pm: Valerie Masterson leads a masterclass Saturday, July 19: 2:00 pm: Opening Ceremony Big ($15.00) Sing ($10.00) 7:30 pm: Utopia Limited (Montreal West Operatic 7:30 pm: Mikado, performed by the Gilbert and Society, Canada) ($40.00-$25.00) Sullivan Opera Company. Tickets: $50.00- Saturday, July 26: 10:00 am: G&S Acting Competition $30.00. ($7.50) 10:30 pm: Festival Club -- including cabaret Iolan- 10:00 am: Memorabilia Fair (all day: FREE!) the ($5.00) 10:30 am: Film Festival continues ($7.50) Sunday, July 20: 10:00 am: G&S Singing Competition 3:00 pm: Dear Jessie: Principals from the Gilbert ($7.50) and Sullivan Opera Company in a tribute to the 3:00 pm: Washington school children present ex- life and career of Jessie Bond ($15.00) cerpts from Iolanthe ($15.00) 7:30 pm: Pirates of Penzance (New York Gilbert 7:30 pm: Yeomen of the Guard (Summer Savoyards, and Sullivan Players with Albert Bergeret) Binghamton) ($40.00-$25.00) ($50.00-$30.00) 10:30 pm: Festival Club -- including cabaret ($5.00) Sunday, July 27: 10:30 am: Albert Bergeret, Artistic Monday, July 21: 10:30 am: David Turner (artistic Director of the New York Gilbert and Sullivan director of The Mousetrap) talks of his live in Players "How to get the most out of Gilbert's theatre, adjudication and The Mousetrap words and Sullivan's music" ($10.00) ($10.00) 2:30 pm: Mikado, performed by the Gilbert and 3:00 pm: Dan Rothermel presents a lecture on Sulli- Sullivan Opera Company. Tickets: $50.00- van's grand opera Ivanhoe ($10.00) $30.00. 7:30 pm: The International Gilbert & Sullivan Festi- 7:00 pm: Awards ceremony, dinner and dance val Orchestra in concert with soloists from the ($35.00) newly formed Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Compa- ny ($40.00-$25.00) 10:30 pm: Festival Club -- Members of the Savoynet Ins and Outs with G&S: perform The Sorcerer [Wow! A Cyberopera! ed.] ($5.00) Pinafore and Sapolio Soap Tuesday, July 22: 10:30 am: Philadelphia opening of the First International Gilbert and Sullivan Film In among the MGS renewals, someone asked what I Festival ($7.50) do when I'm not involved with Gilbert and Sullivan. 3:00 pm: Kenneth Sullivan masterclass ($15.00) (Between you and me, one of the reasons for the delays in 7:30 pm: The Zoo, plus the Gilbert and Sullivan this latest Nonsense have been the other things I've been Opera Company -- Cox and Box, plus West doing, but be that as it may.) One of the things I've been Chester Trial by Jury ($40.00-$25.00) doing lately has been helping chauffeur a costumer friend 10:30 pm: Festival Club -- including cabaret ($5.00) to events. At a recent vintage clothing show, though, the clothing and the G&S were surprisingly combined: Wednesday, July 23: 10:30 am: Film Festival contin- among the dresses and jewelry in one of the booths were ues ($7.50) some pieces of ephemera. And one of the pieces of 3:00 pm: Gondoliers -- Concert version ($10.00 ephemera was most of a booklet promoting the use of 7:30 pm: HMS Pinafore (The Gilbert and Sullivan Sapolio & Hand Sapolio soap, capitalizing on the popu- Opera Company) ($50.00-$30.00) larity of H.M.S. Pinafore. It appears the cover is missing Precious Nonsense, April 1997 -- p. 4

(and it's possible some of the pages are missing, too), but I polished up that handle so carfullee what remains is most amusing. The booklet appears to That now I am the ruler of the Queen's Navee, have been published by Enoch Morgan's Sons Co. (440 to But I could'nt have polished it bright I know 444 West St. New York), probably during 1879. It fea- If I had not used SAPOLIO. tures parodies of the major songs, and pictures of the characters with bars of Sapolio soap. Sapolio Soap seemed to have used parodies regularly The back tells how well Sapolio works as a house cleaner to advertise the product. In Parodies of the works of and for removing household stains. English & American authors (Hamilton, Walter, 1844-- Then, "His Sisters and his cousins and his aunts 1899. comp. Parodies of the works of English & Am- coincide in regard to Sapolio": erican authors, collected and annotated by Walter Hamilton. London, Reeves & Turner, 1884-89.6 v. Sir JP: I am the monarch of the sea illus.), I remember seeing the parody of Longfellow's And SAPOLIO is what saved me. Excelsior, which, as I recall, described some young fel- For when the storm did loudly roar low plastering the neighborhood with Sapolio signs. The crowd ends up dragging him away, still shouting And the ship went down off a rocky shore "Sapolio!" I'm sure there are plenty of readers that know With a cake of SAPOLIO from the store more about Sapolio Soap and their advertising, and I I gently washed myself ashore. hope they'll enlighten the rest of us. Therefore its praise I loudly chants-- In any event, this particular booklet begins with an Hebe: And so do his sisters and his cousins and his "Opening Chorus" in which the sailors sing: aunts His sisters and his cousins whom he reckons by the We sail the ocean blue, dozens And our saucy ship's a beauty, And his aunts. We're sober men and true, And attentive to our duty. [I had seen at least parts of this booklet before, and that Our cutlasses are bright, was the first time I had heard that old groaner.] The back Our marlinspikes are gleaming tells about Sapolio's virtue as a polisher and for general uses. The next page tells the reader "What the Moon said And like a polished table top to Captain Corcoran" Our good ships decks are seeming And if you ask what makes them so Capt.: Fair moon, to the[e] I sing We answer, Tis SAPOLIO Bright regent of the heaven. Say, why do you shine so bright. [You try to set it to the melody: I couldn't make it fit, After the hour is seven: either] Moon: O gentle Captain Corcoran, Ironically, the back of that page warns buyers against "Pirates--Counterfeiters--Imitators", not of Pinafore, but The reason you shall know. of Sapolio soap. The text describes the size of the cake, They shine me up the whole day long and the way it is wrapped. In case you're curious, Bright with SAPOLIO. "SAPOLIO is in for 'a cake about 3 3/4 inches long, 1 MORAL 1/2 inches wide, 1 1/2 inches thick, wrapped in a tin-foil Bright as the moon will all things grow paper wrapper and encircled with a Blue Band printed in When polished with Sapolio. gold letters. The HAND SAPOLIO is put up in the same general style except the Band is MAGENTA color." It's sold for 10¢ a cake. This back of this page talks about Enoch Morgan's Sons Next, "What the Admiral [sic.] knows about hand Sapolio. It sounds like it included some sort of Sapolio": abrasive: "In the BATH it acts as a flesh brush and Soap Combined", and "Its frequent use will remove tan, stains and blemishes from the hands and face. . ." When I was a lad I served a term Speaking of blemishes, the next page is devoted to As office boy to an attorney's firm, Dick Deadeye. It is entitled "Dick Deadeye's yarn about I cleaned the windows and I swept the floor Hand Sapolio". And I polished up the handle of the big front door. Precious Nonsense, April 1997 -- p. 5

Dear public, I've important information Capt.: No, never! Sing hey, the working public that you are All: What, never? About a certain intimate relation Capt.: Well, hardly ever! Between the human cuticle and tar All: He's hardly ever with out SAPOLIO. Or iron rust or ink or nasty tar. The back goes over the advantages of the soap, but then With hand SAPOLIO gently wash the places gives the caution that Sapolio is not recommended for use Sing hey, the dirty public that you are on gold silver, fine plated glass or mirrors. And then no stain your cuticle disgraces "Ralph & Josephine are in one regard to the merits of SAPOLIO" concludes the booklet. They do so in the rays Sing hey, the cleanly public that you are of the rising sun: From iron rust or ink or nasty tar. Duet: Oh, joy, oh, rapture unforseen, His page also give special uses for Sapolio and Hand The clouded sky is no serene, Sapolio. The God of Day, the orb of love Next, "Little Buttercup makes a few remarks about SAPOLIO": Has hung his ensign high above. Bright as yon sun our hearth shall glow I'm called Little Buttercup -- dear little Buttercup For we shall use SAPOLIO. Though I could never tell why: But still I'm called Buttercup -- poor little Buttercup On the back, the readers are told how they (and Josephine and Ralph) can get Sapolio: by asking their grocer, drug- Sweet little Buttercup I. gist, or hardware and home furnishing stores to carry it. I've snuff and tobaccy, and excellent jacky Sapolio is no longer available from these sources, but I've scissors and watches and knives then again, neither is Pinafore. But even if it isn't use in I've ribbons and laces to set off the faces advertising, Pinafore is still available, and is still as Of pretty young sweethearts and wives. bright as, well, as bright as the Admiral got the door But the thing I most treasure I'll tell you with plea- handle with Sapolio! sure It beats every soap that I know {By the way, speaking of vintage clothing, if anybody For washing the dishes or what else you wishes should happen to have any crochet patterns for either And it's Morgan's SAPOLIO. Victorian (Civil War Era) hair nets or World War II era snoods they'd be willing to loan, trade, or what-have-you, The back of this page recounts the virtues of the soap please let me know. That was one of the things I was each of the characters had most appreciated. It is pointed looking for at the vintage clothing show, and didn't find.) out that the "moral deduced from the above unquestioned testimony" is that no house is complete and no household can be happy and prosperous without Sapolio and Hand Sapolio. Captain Corcoran returns, and it appears, "The Cap- Where Can it Be? tain of the Pinafore is never without SAPOLIO": We hear from Judy C. Pittman, who is interested in Capt.: I am the captain of the Pinafore. seeing her copy of The Works of Gilbert and Sullivan go to a good home, for a reasonable recompense. It was All: And a right good captain, too. published in 1941 by Garden City Publishing Co./The Capt.: My sword in the light is exceedingly bright Book League of America, with illustrations by W.S. And so are my guns to true, Gilbert. The contents of the book are evidently the And they dazzle the eyes of the dastard foe libretti for Thespis, Trial By Jury, The Sorcerer, H.M.S. For they're polished up with SAPOLIO. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, Patience, Iolanthe, And this is a fact that you all should know Princess Ida, The Mikado, Ruddigore, The Yeomen of the Guard, and Gondoliers. Ms Pittman judges the book And I hope you do not doubt it, that I never am to be in good condition. If you're interested in buying it, without it drop her a note at 4871 Clintonville Road; Clarkston, MI That I never am without SAPOLIO 48346. She'll look forward to hearing from you. All: What, never? Precious Nonsense, April 1997 -- p. 6

We just got a preview copy of the St. Martin's Press's music, plus an introduction by Dr. Berney and a new book Murder & Sullivan, by Sara Hoskinson From- review of the Royal Vic performance by Jonathan mer. The press release says, "Who would have thought strong. The songs (including 'Ophelia was a that Gilbert and Sullivan could be deadly?" dainty little maid,' the eponymous 'Put a penny in It goes on: the slot,' and the ticking song, 'When gentlemen Certainly not Joan Spencer, viola player and are eaten up with jealousy') include some of star of Murder & Sullivan, Sara Hoskinson Gilbert's wittiest lyrics. The cost is $30.00 per Frommer's third Joan Spencer mystery. When copy plus $4.00 shipping. For more information Joan saves a young girl from the tornado that and/or to order, write to the Royal Victorian sweeps through the small town of Oliver, Indi- Opera Company at 91 Standist Road, Watertown ana, she never expects that she's about to be a MA 02172, or call Dr. Berney at (617) 926- witness to murder. Joan volunteers to play the 4552. In addition, videos of Put a Penny, and of viola for the Civic Symphony's production of all sic of Gilbert's Gallery of Illustration pieces Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta, Ruddigore, star- (including Our Island Home and No Cards) are ring the young girl's father David, a circuit court available. judge. But tragedy strikes when David is mur- dered onstage. Aided by her eighteen-year-old We hear from William V. Dorwart Jr., Ph.D., who son Andrew and Detective Fred Lundquist, Joan had played in enough pit orchestras for G&S operas to discovers that the judge had more enemies in the understand how garbled some of the orchestra scores are. town than it would seem at first glance. The A couple of years ago, with Theodore Presser Company, question is, who hated him enough to commit he had typeset (on computer) scores for Iolanthe and murder? Trial By Jury. By doing so, he was able to make the new I haven't found anyone to read it yet to find out who did materials legible and put page turns at convenient places hate him that much, but mystery readers would probably wherever possible, to rationalize the relationships of the want to find out for themselves, anyway. It is supposed key signatures for the various instruments and have all to be released on May 14 in hardcover (ISBN 0-312- instruments change keys at the same time, to give all 155956), to retail at $21.95. The press release mentions instruments the same repeats and first and second end- that the author is a violinist in the Bloomington (Indiana) ings, to provide abundant cues, and the same dynamics Symphony. Those of us in the Bloomington area might and articulations for all parts. Well, the completed scores want to watch for her. now include Yeomen of the Guard, The Zoo, and The Incidentally, we haven't been able to round up some- Gondoliers. For more information on obtaining these one to write a review for W.S. Gilbert: A Classic Victo- "clean" scores, contact Theodore Presser and see what rian & His Theatre by Jane W. Stedman (Oxford Uni- happens: (610) 527-4242 / 1 Presser Place, Bryn Mawr, versity Press, ISBN 019-816174-3, $30.00) or The Com- PA 19010. If you would like to speak to Dr. Dorwart plete Annotated Gilbert & Sullivan edited by Ian Bradley about his work, he an be reached at (610) 667-3849. (Oxford, again, ISBN 019-816503X, $40.00, I think). If Last I heard, he was working on Mikado and also branch- someone would like to write a report, please let me know ing out to Lehar with The Merry Widow. If you call, you (and write it). can ask him how they are coming.

We got a press release from Dr. Charles Berney, Speaking of new G&S music, HLH Music Publica- artistic director of the Royal Victorian Opera Company tions now has available nine new choral settings of G&S about the publication of a performing edition of the Royal songs, "with piano accompaniment, all of medium diffi- Vic's 1992 hit Put a Penny in the Slot. The release goes culty. The lyrics for these octavos are also suitable for on to say, young choristers." I'm not sure what that says about the lyrics of other octavos, but be that as it may. In any This work is an adaptation of the Nita-Bartolo event, J.E. Suben is the series editor, and Adam Paltrow- subplot from The Mountebanks, a comic opera itz is the arranger. The choral arrangements now avail- first performed in 1892, with words by W.S. able are Gilbert and Alfred Cellier [We had a plot de- scription of that opera a couple of Nonsenses Though P'raps I May Incur Your Blame (Iolanthe / ago, if you want to see how it goes. Ed.] . . . The SATB / ED#SEC 118) work calls for a cast of three (soprano, patter I'm Called Little Buttercup (SA / ED#SEC 119), (SSA / baritone, bass-baritone) with piano accompa- ED#SEC 120), (SSAA / ED#SEC 121) naiment; it takes about an hour to perform, and I Am the Monarch of the Sea (SAB / ED#SEC 112), so is suitable for meetings, fund-raisers, etc. The (SATB / ED#SEC 123) performing edition includess all the dialog and Precious Nonsense, April 1997 -- p. 7

Silvered is the Raven Hair (SA / ED#SEC 124), (SSA / Bumboat Woman becomes Louhedda Hobsons, ED#SEC 125) Little Miss Buttercup, a Hollywood columnist Now to the Banquet We Press (SA / ED#SEC 126), (dif- (Shirley Booth, who went on to sing in "The ferent SA / ED#SEC 127, available Spring 1997) Beautiful Sea" and "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" Available Spring, 1997 are: and the stage and film version of the dramatic "Come Back Little Sheba). Oh, Gentlemen, Listen (TTBB / ED#SEC 128), (SATB / ED#SEC 129) The second half of "Hollywood Pinafore" is de- voted to an effort to recapture the spirit of the first Time Was, When Love and I (TTBB / ED#SEC 130), half. (SATB / ED#SEC 131) My Name is John Wellington Wells (TTBB / ED#SEC 132) That's more than we knew before. Mr. Llords goes on to add, There Grew a Little Flower (SSAA / ED#SEC 133), (SATB / ED#SEC 134) When Maiden Loves (SSAA / ED#SEC 135) Did you know that on May 24, 1945 (one week earlier), at the Broadway Theatre, a musi- Is Life a Boon? (TTBB / ED#SEC 136) cal called Memphis Bound opened? [I didn’t. I Have a Song to Sing, O! (SATB / ED#SEC 137 Ed.] Book by Albert Barker and Sally Benton Prices range from $1.25 to $1.40, and are available from (remember her for the Junior Miss short stories in Musical Score Distributors; 625 Broadway, Suite 7A; The New Yorker Magazine?), and music by Don New York, NY 10012 / (212) 475-0270, Fax (212) 473- Walker (who later went on to become a top or- 7971. chestrator, if memory serves me right) and Clay Warnick. A group of black singers and dancers leave on the showboat "Calliboga Queen", for a trip The Hollywood Pinafore down the Mississippi for a performance of H.M.S. Pinafore in Memphis. However, the showboat gets stuck on a sandbar and the troupe A few issues ago, someone had asked what the plot of has to give a performance of Pinafore to raise Hollywood Pinafore was. Daniel Llords did some check- money to get her off. In Act I, Scene 4, the ing, and says, troupe gives most of the first half of Pinafore, and in Act II, the company gives most of the My records show-- second half. Hollywood Pinafore A modernized version of Gilbert and Sullivan's This show closed June 23, 1945, after a run of only H.M.S. Pinafore; book and lyrics revised by George 36 performances. S. Kaufman. Sullivan score retained. Staged by George S. Kaufman. Included Anthony Tudor's Now, this is serendipity: I don't know how this got on the ballet interlude "Success Story" with Viola Essen. kitchen table, but yesteday afternoon I found a letter from Opened at the Alvin Theatre, May 31, 1945, and quizmaster Arthur Robinson, dated November of 1996. I closed July 14, 1945--53 performances. have cleared my kitchen table since then, so, as I say, I don't know how it got on the table (thought I had, at least. Brief review: For half of its length, "Holly- In the letter was this description of Hollywood Pinafore: wood Pinafore" successfully satirized the Gil- bert/Sullivan classic. Joseph W. Porter (Victor Hollywood Pinafore, produced on Broadway in Moore) serves as the head of a huge motion pic- 1945 with book and lyrics by George S. Kauf- ture producing unit. Ralph Rackstraw (Gilbert man and (recycled) music by Sullivan, was both Russell) represents a group of wage slaves, a satire of Hollywood (which Kaufman had pre- mostly writers, who wear prison garb as their viously satirized in Once in a Lifetime, one of his work-a-day uniforms. Dick Live-Eye (William collaborations with Moss Hart) and a parody of Gaxton--remember, he and the aforementioned H.M.S. Pinafore. All the music was from Pin- Victor Moore had been the stars of such musicals afore (except for one number from The Pirates of as the Pulitzer Prize winning "Of Thee I Sing" -- Penzance). An abriged version of this musical score by the Gershwins -- and "Anything Goes" was published in the Kaufman anthology By with the music of Cole Porter) with patch, is an George (St. Martin's Press, 1979), edited by actor's agent, on the prowl for his 10%. And the Donald Oliver. Precious Nonsense, April 1997 -- p. 8

The main characters are: Joseph W. Porter, ding but separate honeymoons), resultingin three head of a studio, "Pinafore Pictures"; Miss loving pairs ("and I get ten percent!" declares the Hebe, his secretary; Mike Corcoran, a director; agent). The entire cast sings the finale, entitled his daughter Brenda Blossom, a star; Ralph "With apologies to Gilbert and Sullivan." Rackstraw, a lowly writer; Dick Live-Eye, an agent; and Louhedda Hobsons, a columnist (an amalgam of Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper). Hollywood Pinafore tkaes place at Pinafore America's Funniest Gilbert and Sullivan pictures Studio, where everyone makes enormous "Getting Stuck" salaries except Ralph Rackstraw, who is a writer and therefore ostracized. Even worse, Ralph As you already know, S/A Cole has some pretty convides, "I love--and love, alas above my sal- strange ideas. This latest one comes from that remark- ary." The object of his affections is Brenda Blos- ably trivial, and oddly entertaining program America's som, "for whom producers sigh and with each Funniest Home Videos. S/A Cole thought it would be other vie to give her bigger biling." We also meet fun to do something like that with MGS members' expe- gossip columnist Louhedda Hopsons (known as riences with or memories of G&S. We can't very well "Little Butter-up"); the shady agent Dick Live- use funny videos, but we sure can use funny stories. Eye, who has just sold the motion picture rights Those of us who have seen the The Best of Gilbert and to the Bible (he wears a patch over one eye; "I Sullivan performances know that one of the highlights of received it from a client. 'Tis but ten percent of their performance is the part where Geoffrey Shovelton what he got"), and Mike Corcoran, a director tells about misadventures with the D'Oyly Carte Opera who never (well, hardly ever) makes a flop or Company (like the time in Iolanthe when the Peers went uses a big, big D (except in Gone with the on one knee to Phyllis, and fell over like dominoes). Wind). Corcoran's daughter, Brenda Blossom Well, I bet we have had experiences as funny as that, so (her name was Josephine, but she changed it), is let's share them! sought in marriage by studio head Joe Porter, Now, those of us familiar with America's Funniest who enters accompanied by his sisters, cousins, Home Videos know that they give pretty substantial and aunts (to all of whom he has given jobs in the prizes for the three best entries each week. Since the studio). He sings of how he always takes the flood last year, we're kind of short of prizes, but we can credit when a picutre succeeds, "but when the try to come up with something useful for the best entries preview's drear, I generally disappear, and seek used in each Nonsense issue. I hope that won't be a the seclusion that a bathroom grants." Dick deterrent. Live-Eye offers to be Porter's agent, generously offering to give him "ninety percent of everything To get things started, I you make." thought we could do some- thing with things "Getting Ralph meets Brenda and proclaims his love Stuck". I remember hav- for her. They plan to elope secretly ("This very ing seen part of one of the night most quietly, / With just the right publicity, productions of Mikado / A wedding bell will sound its chimes, / We'll that the cast of Kukla, only tell The New York Times"). Act ( ends with Fran, and Ollie gave, in all rejoicing at the upcoming wedding--except which Fran Allison, Beulah Witch and Mrs. Oglepuss are Dick Live-Eye, who plans to break it up. singing "Three Little Maids from School" in costume, and In Act II Dick puts his plan into effect, Beulah Witch's nose gets stuck in Mrs. Oglepuss's wig. threatening Brenda that unless she marries Joe Fran Allison sings blissfully away while Beulah Witch Porter, she will be exiled to the stage, where she and Mrs. Oglepuss try to get untangled. You've probably will only make a thousand dollars a week, not get seen things as funny as that. her picture in the magazines, and be forced to As a matter of fact, speaking of getting stuck, my act. The star quails in horror at this prospect, mother passed on a story one of her high school friends' but decides to go through with her elopement. husbands had about the time he appeared in Pinafore: Dick spills the beans to Porter, who catches the pair and has Ralph loaded with chains. But Lou- hedda a makes a confession: She once made a H.M.S. Pinafore was the operetta for the mistake in her column, as a result of which Ralph 1947 schedule at Fostoria High School my and Porter were given each other's rightful jobs. freshman year. These were big, expensive affairs Corcoran proposes to Louhedda, and Miss Hebe in Fostoria -- their musicals, choral works, con- to Porter (who decided they'll have a triple wed- cert and marching bands historically were top- Precious Nonsense, April 1997 -- p. 9

notch and often won honors at Ohio State at the annual high school music contests. As captain of the Pinafore, I needed a big, appropriate uniform, it came to pass when a Knight Templar of the local Masons volunteered his uniform -- a perfect fit with sword and long coat and epaulets and fancy fore-and-aft hat! [Or come to think of it, was it the Knights of Colum- bus?] Opening night was exciting. Early on, as I started to sing "I am the captain," I was supposed to climb the rope latter a few rungs, then climb down and finish the song among the sailors on deck. As I started back down, still singing, the scabbard of the sword got stuck in the rope rig- ging of the ladder. Needless to say, I finished the song hung up on the ladder. A quick curtain was all it took for me and others to extricate myself.

What funny "getting stuck" stories do you have? Pass them on, and if they pass our panel of experts, we'll put them in the Nonsense (or if you have any other stories, that'll be okay: we'll start a new category). We may even be able to manage a prize. All they have to be is true and pleasantly funny. And if this is as far as the funny-story idea goes, at least we all had chuckle over this Captain Corcoran getting caught in his own rig.

So that's what we have so far. We could really use some articles (and if you would like some ideas to write on, I'd be happy to give you some. Say, whatever happened with that idea of coming up with G&S-related research paper topics for high school/college students, with tips on how to proceed with the research? We could use some of those, too.), so if you feel literarily inclined, or have an ax to grind or what-have-you, please let us hear from you.

Midwestern Gilbert and Sullivan Society c/o Miss Sarah Cole -- 613 W. State St. North Aurora, IL 60542-1538 (630) 859-2918 Work: (630) 896-8860, x 108 Fax: (630) 896-4422